Second suspect indicted in Brumley murder case

May 6—Nearly two years after the disappearance of LeeAnna Brumley, a second suspect has been indicted for her murder.

Gerald Avalon Hendricks, 55, of Science Hill, was indicted Wednesday by the Pulaski County Grand Jury on charges of Murder and Tampering with Physical Evidence in connection to Brumley's fatal shooting in the spring of 2019.

Hendricks joins 34-year-old Danelle Nicole Powell of Somerset, who was indicted for Murder back in January 2020. Her trial is currently scheduled to begin on August 16. Her original trial date had been last October before all trials were put on hold due to the pandemic.

Both Hendricks and Powell are charged in connection to the May 22, 2019, disappearance of Brumley — a 25-year-old mother whom family members said battled addiction and frequently stayed with friends.

Brumley was officially reported missing by her mother on June 4, 2019, and her fate remained a public mystery until that fall when local authorities began taking persons of interest into custody.

Powell was arrested on November 14, 2019. According to testimony from her preliminary hearing, both Brumley and Powell had been staying with Hendricks at his residence on Shady Grove Road in Science Hill. On May 22, there had reportedly been an issue with Brumley's health.

Detective Lieutenant Bobby Jones, commander of the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division, testified Powell told authorities that rather than take Brumley to the hospital, Hendricks had a relative — Corky Lee Hendricks, 40, of Anderson Valley Lane — take her to a farm on Hendricks Road.

Gerald Avalon Hendricks followed in a separate vehicle with Powell.

Once the four met back up at the farm, according to testimony, Powell shot Brumley with a sawed-off shotgun reportedly on orders from Gerald Avalon Hendricks. Authorities located burned bones believed to be Brumley's at yet another family farm on Charter Oaks Road.

On Wednesday, Lt. Jones presented his case against Gerald Avalon Hendricks to grand jurors currently serving. The following day, the detective served Gerald Hendricks with the resulting indictment at the Pulaski County Detention Center, where both he and Corky Hendricks have been lodged on unrelated charges.

Corky Hendricks has not been charged in connection to the Brumley case.

Powell is next scheduled to appear in Pulaski Circuit Court on May 21 for a bond hearing. At press time, she remained lodged at PCDC in lieu of a $200,000 cash/property bond.

An arraignment has yet to be scheduled for Gerald Avalon Hendricks on this latest indictment but bond has been set at $500,000 cash or property.

Lt. Jones is leading the continuing Brumley investigation along with the Major Crimes Task Force — comprised of PCSO, Somerset Police, Kentucky State Police and Burnside Police.

The indictment of a person by a grand jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty or otherwise pleads guilty.